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Butler Basketball: Previewing Henry Baddley’s impact for 2019-20

By Lukas Harkins

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 02: Henry Baddley #20 of the Butler Bulldogs drives to the basket against Phil Booth #5 of the Villanova Wildcats in the first half at the Wells Fargo Center on March 2, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 02: Henry Baddley #20 of the Butler Bulldogs drives to the basket against Phil Booth #5 of the Villanova Wildcats in the first half at the Wells Fargo Center on March 2, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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DETROIT, MI – MARCH 18: Coach Jordan of the Bulldogs reacts. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI – MARCH 18: Coach Jordan of the Bulldogs reacts. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

On the defensive end…

Defense will arguably be Butler’s biggest concern for this coming season. With Kamar Baldwin and Jordan Tucker returning as presumed double-digit scorers per game this season, the team’s offense should be just fine. The Dawgs were a mess on defense in 2018-19 and that will need to change in order for them to make a leap back towards NCAA Tournament contention.

This is where Baddley could make his mark and see more playing time. He boasts long arms, athleticism, and a willingness to fight on that end of the floor. Additionally, he can defend multiple positions when on the court by way of his 6-foot-4 frame. This versatility is valuable and should allow him to see big minutes in games where Butler is facing a dynamic scoring wing/guard.

He was tops on the team last year in steal rate at 2.8%. This ranked 212th in the entire nation.

Starting guards Aaron Thompson and Kamar Baldwin are both well-regarded defenders but they will have to shoulder their fair share of the offensive burden this year as well. This, in turn, could drive down their effectiveness on the defensive end. They simply cannot be asked to guard the opposition’s best player for >30 minutes per game. This is where Baddley can come in off the bench and make a difference.

He likely will not see a ton of minutes this year, but his defense should allow him to remain in the rotation. Butler lacked strong senior leadership in 2018-19, especially on the defensive end. Although not a starter, Baddley could be a vocal defender in the second unit with the ability to push others to remain engaged.